Chapter 22
TWENTY-TWO
Katie reached the forensic division at Pine Valley Sheriff’s Department with five minutes to spare.
She hurried down the hallways and made her way to her office, but before she reached it, the forensic examination room’s door opened and John stepped out.
Katie turned toward him and before she could say anything, he gave her a long kiss.
“Good morning,” he whispered and smiled before heading back into his work area.
Katie let out a breath.
She pushed open the door to the office where McGaven was seated and searching databases.
“Good morning, Gav,” she said, excited to get started.
“Oh, you decided to grace the department with your presence.”
Katie put down her jacket and briefcase.
“Learn anything from the arson investigator?” he said with slight sarcasm.
“A lot.”
McGaven turned in his chair to face his partner. He raised his eyebrows. “What did he say?”
“Nothing really.”
“Nothing?”
“He ditched me on the run. I never saw him again.”
McGaven frowned. “Why is that?”
“Not sure, but I have a bad feeling about him. His alibi checks out, but his blood on the napkin is suspicious. We need to keep him as a person of interest.”
“Okay.”
“I want a background check done on him. If I remember correctly, he was a transplant from Southern California. Look for anything…”
“Anything what?”
“Anything unusual, weird, or that raises any questions.”
“He really got to you. I don’t like this.”
“I know.”
“I’ll see what I can find.” McGaven shuffled some papers. “Oh, these arrived first thing this morning by courier. Paper copies of the Rockview investigation, including the crime scene report and the medical examiner’s. It’s more detailed than the preliminary report.”
“Wow. I guess Detective Stern is efficient. I thought we were going to have to keep reminding him.” Katie began thumbing through the files. The reports were very detailed, and were backed up with photographs. And she’d thought Stern was going to be a problem, not Ames.
“Oh, we have a green light to talk to Brandon Bates at the Rockview Jail,” Gav said.
“When?”
“Today if you want.”
“Yes. I want to talk to him as soon as possible.”
“Okay.”
The door opened and John stood in the doorway.
“Hey,” said McGaven.
“Do you have something for us?” said Katie.
“I do indeed,” he said and walked in. “I have IDs for the finger found in your Jeep and the arm on the property.”
“So fast?”
“I rushed it, but the victim had been reported missing by her employer almost three months ago. Also, she had been arrested for shoplifting when she was nineteen, so it was easier to find her.”
“Three months? Those body parts aren’t that old—decomp would be more advanced. The parts are all from one victim?”
“Yes,” said John. “They seemed to be consistent to one person, but we still had to test and they confirmed there was one victim.”
“Who was she?” said McGaven. “Or could she still be alive?”
John referred to a file folder. “It’s possible, but highly unlikely.
It depends upon the treatment she would need and who was taking care of her.
They would have to be a doctor or maybe a nurse.
But I think it’s been too long. Her name was Shelby Roberts, twenty-eight, part-time yoga instructor at a yoga and fitness studio over on Pine Street. ”
“Okay,” said Katie as she took the file folder.
There was a copy of Shelby’s driver’s license, showing a pretty, dark-haired woman with green eyes who was five foot seven.
“We at least have a name and photo, but where’s the rest of her?
” Katie was more worried than ever. They needed to do something.
“That’s up to you two to find out,” said John as he smiled and left the office.
“Let’s get a copy of the missing persons report,” she said.
McGaven picked up the landline and dialed an extension.
Katie was more interested in who Shelby Roberts was and if the people whose appendages were found in Rockview had connections to her. The arm from under the sink was bound to be from another victim who hadn’t been identified yet.
Katie was still reeling from the situation with Ames.
She couldn’t ascertain if he’d been playing games or if he had good reason to do what he did.
For now, she would let it simmer on the back burner; they had more important things to do.
She could hear the ticking clock in her head as to when another piece of a body would turn up.
McGaven gathered files and papers from the table, and stood up.
“What?” she said.
“You’re antsy. Let’s go to Rockview Jail.”
“And then we can check out the yoga studio on the way back.”
“Road trip.”